The NFL regular season has reached its halfway point, which gives us enough space between beginning and middle for some reflection on players who had high expectations coming into 2023, and have fallen very short of those expectations. This is the 2023 NFL All-Disappointment Team.
QB Daniel Jones, New York Giants
Giving an extension worth up to $160 million to a guy who threw 15 touchdowns a season ago always felt odd, and the Giants are reaping the benefits, or lack thereof, in 2023. Jones has two touchdowns to six interceptions in five games, and his 30th in the league in adjusted EPA/play. Coming into the season, I compared Jones to a ham sandwich- unremarkable, but gets the job done. Now, I’d compare him to a sandwich made of just three pieces of bread- very bland, and no one would ever pay for one in their right mind.
RB Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
The former first-round pick is now splitting carries with the arguably more talented Jaylen Warren, an undrafted free agent who earned a roster spot with Pittsburgh in 2022. Through eight games, Harris has just 382 yards and is averaging less than four yards/carry.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots
Stevenson and Harris are having nearly identical seasons with identical issues. Their offenses are not remotely explosive, their offensive lines are underperforming, and that has impacted their touches and effectiveness. Stevenson has just over 300 yards on 3.2 yards/carry this season- a far cry from 2022 when he looked like a top 10 running back.
WR Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers
Watson has missed time with injury, but in the four games he has played, he has yet to total more than three receptions. The Packers have been extremely disappointing this season,
WR Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders
Dotson just had a huge game against the Eagles where he caught eight passes for 108 yards and a touchdown. Outside of that, his numbers coming into the game were 22 catches for 183 yards and one touchdown. One game does not a good season make- Dotson has been largely disappointing after a promising rookie season that saw him reach the end zone seven times.
TE Darren Waller, New York Giants
Waller didn’t look like anything that resembled a threat until Tyrod Taylor became the starter. He had multiple games with garbage-time stats, but didn’t get his first touchdown until Week 7 against the Commanders.
EDGE Tyree Wilson, Las Vegas Raiders
For all the hype that Wilson had coming into this year’s draft, he has severely underperformed. He’s only registered four pressures this season on 133 passing snaps. He’s also only won just above four percent of his reps on pass snaps.
LB Devin White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
White hasn’t been the force we’ve grown accustom to. He’s struggled against the run, totaling only 20 tackles on run plays compared to the league-leader, Zaire Franklin, who has 40. He’s also been a middle of the pack guy as a coverage linebacker, allowing 218 yards in the passing game as the nearest defender. It hasn’t been an awful year, but for someone of White’s caliber, it hasn’t met his standard of play.
CB Patrick Peterson, Pittsburgh Steelers
Peterson is becoming borderline unplayable for the Steelers. Pittsburgh has routinely given up big receiving performances, and Peterson and his running mate Levi Wallace have both been putrid (don’t worry, Levi- we see you). He is in his 13th season, so a drop off was expected, but he played well in Minnesota last year- the drop off wasn’t supposed to be this sudden and drastic.
S Ryan Neal, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Neal is currently surrendering a perfect passer rating in coverage, and he’s allowed three touchdowns on the season. He’s been targeted 18 times, and 17 of them have been completions. When opposing quarterbacks take the field, and no that they can just target one half of the field on intermediate and long passes, that’s not good for the rest of the defense.
